


One alternate tale of Pern

by GreyOne



Category: Dragonriders of Pern - Anne McCaffrey
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2016-03-20
Packaged: 2018-05-27 23:19:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6304138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GreyOne/pseuds/GreyOne
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if something didn't go quite right when the dragons were engineered, and some hatch able to survive without Impressing? How might a Weyr handle it? Even if a best case scenario is used here, it also has much potential to go much worse. Based on ideas coming up in the commentary section of Dragonchoice 3, I claim no rights to the idea.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One alternate tale of Pern

**Author's Note:**

> This is an alternate version of Pern, where parts of canon is ignored. Like a female Impressing to a brown dragon, and of-course the existence of 'wild' dragons. 
> 
> Just the first version of this story, comments ripping it apart and helps to improve on it. They're very welcome!

As usual, the Hatching Sands were warm. Too warm for Mikan's liking. But not much that could be done about it, since they-

" _We have to be here._ " Looking almost smug, and absolutely teasing, Lirkanteth's eyes whirled as he finished his rider's thoughts. The smallish brown leaning away just slightly as Mikan pushed at his shoulder. 

"I know what I'm thinking. You don't need to say it for me," she said with a snort. Pushing away some strands of graying hair that'd fallen into her face at the movement. Time to get a haircut again, soon. "But yep."

" _Just to spare you the effort._ " Ceasing his rather rusty-sounding hum, the brown tilted his mottled, sort of maroon head slightly more to the left, clearly concentrating. And Mikan bit back the response that had been at her tongue. By now she tried to leave such things as needing to have the last word, behind.

Besides, the first of the eggs were moments away from hatching. Parts of dragonets clearly visible through large cracks in several shells. A green, then a blue and light brown or bronze, by the looks of them. 

" _Ready?_ "

Mikan gave a nod. The newer leather of her riding gear, that was part of the reason for that the Sands felt uncomfortably hot beyond the usual. Such a good thing that there was cool drinks to be had. But very necessary, in case they'd be needed.

Hatchings could be risky enough even on good days. Not knowing how many dragonets might have that particular sort of genetics that made some forego the need to Impress. Made Hatchings riskier still, especially since it could be hard to tell right away.

Right beside her, Lirkanteth did snort, as it had been his turn to do so anyway. "Hatchlings, they've no sense. As if a life living wild and disliked, and never knowing where your next meal might come from is any good."

Reaching for the brown's shoulder, Mikan gave him a pat this time, and kept her hand there. "Better not to have to make sharding hard choices, eh?"  
" _Absolutely._ " This time, the brown's voice held just a slight hint of fierceness. Rumbling quietly in approval, as the blue was the first to hatch. Then stumble off to find a match among the candidates. An example followed by his two siblings, then many of those who followed after.

_Brown..green times two..a bronze..green again and then blue.._

Over where her egg had been laying in the sand, rather close to the forefeet of her dam. The gold of the clutch, first one in a couple of turns, made a rather undignified appearance. Ending up with sand sticking to the egg fluid on her head, neck and chest.

By the way the dam, Brihilvath, leaned closer over her offspring with a half croon-half rumbling sound though. Seeming suddenly tense. Mikan couldn't help but to feel a bit of a worrier, golds hatching as one of those were more reason to worry. If that was the case here.

Not that she really had the option to keep watching. With Lirkanteth mildly chiding her for those negative thoughts, and yanked her attention over to a countershaded blue dragonet. 

Having stopped before it really got to the candidates. Its head was weaving back and forth in stress, probably mostly directed at pushy candidates. As it hissed at them for seeming to be about to inch closer, or maybe just for trying to attract it with thoughts of welcome.

"I see. Come on." She said to Lirkanteth. Moving quickly across the sands to shoo the candidates away from the dragonet, at least those who'd not yet figured that the hatchling might not want them. Some candidates were so slow, or maybe just too hopeful..

" _If you're being charitable._ " That was Lirkanteth's thoughts on them, as the brown slowly approached the hatchling blue. Eyes whirling with blues and greens while he worked to speak to the newly hatched beast. To calm it, and keep it from doing stupid things.

For a newborn like this, 'talking' was more of a series of emotions mixed in with mental images and simple concepts that didn't really use words. Couldn't expect a dragonet with no link to a human mind to grasp words quickly like the Impressed ones did.

Pushing the last candidate a bit, to move further away. Something she didn't really need to, they'd gotten moving quickly, but she wanted to anyway. Mikan kept herself between the 'wild' dragonet, as Lirkanteth kept himself between it and her. Fortunately, properly handled, a situation like this rarely made the riding leathers she was wearing necessary. 

But they were a good idea anyway. For those times when things weren't properly handled. There'd been a few turns back, and Mikan still remembered the bruises and aches of those. Clumsy and careless hatchlings might be, they were still heavy and equipped with claws and teeth.

Everything slowly winded down towards calm, in spite of a hungry cry of demand from the unpartnered blue dragonet. But it eyes were whirling slower and with cooler colors now. And it clearly responded with a lowering of its head as Lirkanteth snorted at it, being properly submissive to the authority of a grown and older dragon.

Though also stretching head and neck to look in the direction of where his siblings were being fed. As he was clued into the concept by Lirkanteth.  
" _He'll be good now. Knowing how to listen to the Weyr, and that he's part of it will become a habit to him._ " With a light nudge of his nose, to get the blue going in the right direction. Lirkanteth followed closely at the hatchling's tail tip. Watchful especially as they reached where Mikan stood.

"Let's see if we can talk one of the failed candidates into keeping an eye on, and feeding, him. Under the weyrlingmaster's eyes again, of-course. Brihilvath and the other queen will want to see him later, I'm sure." Keeping out of the dragonet's easy reach, but being nearby and calm; the blue needed to get used to being around humans anyway. Mikan walked with it and Lirkanteth over to the designated feeding area.

" _Oh sure. Once they're less busy, in a few minutes. I'd think._ " Looking back, the brown gave his rider a mental image of both queens of the Weyr hovering over the golden dragonet. The new queen had indeed been one of those not choosing impression by the looks of it. At least it seemed to be pretty undramatic. In spite of both wings being flared out, the hatchling gold had more of an air of determined curiosity than being antagonistic. 

"Hah. That's going to be interesting. Good thing Brihilvath is as good at being dominant as she is." Keeping that remark quiet. It wasn't one she wanted to broadcast far and wide. Mikan was pretty relieved once they could hand the responsibility of the nonpartnered blue over to the weyrlingmaster and his green.

They'd happily help 'wrangle' such dragonets, she and Lirkanteth. But being responsible for their long time care and control, no thanks.

" _I can agree with all of that. Just this once,_ " Lirkanteth said.


End file.
